Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-03-31
PRlMiNG HIS GUNS.

Senator Cockerell Taking the Initial Steps
Preparatory to Setting His Committee
to Work Investigating the Govern
mental observation-disclosures Work
Anticipated.
WASHINGTON, March Ex-senator Cock
rell, chairman of the Senate select COM
mittee to inquire into and examine the
methods of business and work in the
Executive departments of the Govern
ment, has taken the initial steps toward
carrying out the inquiry during the past
week by addressing several letters to the
heads of each department, telling them
just what information is desired by the
committee. In letter the Senator asks
for detailed statement showing the
amount and character of business pending
in each division and in each division of
each bureau on the first day of January,
1884, 'S5, 'S6 and 'S7, and the amount Of
business transacted and disposed OF in
each division, during those three years,
and on hand and unsettled at the end of
each, and also the business transacted in
January and February, 1887, in each di-
vision, and on hand and unsettled in each
division on March 1, 1887; also a detailed
statement showing the average amount
and character of business performed,
transacted and disposed of by the en-
ployes in each division and the
average number of employees in each of
such divisions, during each month in 1854,
'S5, 'S6 and 'S7, up to March /, 1887; and
also the maximum and minimum amount
of business transacted and disposed of by
the employees doing the most and en-
poyes doing the least in each of such
dvis ions during each of the months of
these years, and if no account has been
kept of the business performed and dis
posed of by each employee during these
years, the reasons why such account has
not been kept; and also a statement
showing the average number OF
days and the time and attention
devoted to the consideration and trans
action of business by the employees in the
divisions, and whether in person or by
proxy, during each of these years, up to
March 2, 1887, such employees or any of
them may have been receiving pay from
the United States, and also the maximum
and minimum number of days during each
of the years so devoted to business by the
employc in each of the divisions, present
for the greatest number of days, and also
for the least number of days
In another letter sent to the depart
ments yesterday the Senator requests
statement of the number of employees in
each department on March 1, 1887. These
letters show that Senator Cockrell intends
searching.
For the last ten or twelve years, he
says, the heads of departments or bureaus
have been clamoring for more help
Some of the bureaus probably need larger
force; others, perhaps, do not need the
force they have all along been
provided with, and the investigation,
the Senator thinks, will at least show
whether Congress has not been remiss in
not providing additional force, or the adj
ministration of the department faulty by
not utilizing and arranging their en-
ployes so as to keep all busy, and at the
same time keep the work everywhere
well attended to.
Acting Secretary Muldrow, Of the
Interior Department., has already taken
steps to comply with Senator Cockrelfs
requests, and has directed the heads OF
bureaus and divisions in that department
to preprre the desired data for the com
mittee,